Cookies and Magic

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

Infinity.

OK, so I realize I'm completely misinterpreting that poem, because I KNOW I'm not supposed to just name a number and that I need to enumerate the many facets of my love. But Infinity, in this context, is all the possible facets I can think of to love these cookies. Because I love them, infinitely. 

Thank you, David Lebovitz, for existing. Your recipes are charming as is your general demeanor. I cannot get enough of your sweet sweet life in Paris. Sugar and France never went together so well.

In addition, I love the little miracles in life that make you think that maybe magic does exist. This video is from a little boulangerie I love. Where they normally store their freezable croque-monsieurs, this little mystery...it's levitating y'all!

Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (unnnnnnnnnnnnnnn)

Salted Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes two dozen cookies

For those of you who wish to use unsalted butter, 4 ounces (8 tablespoons, or 115g) of butter has about 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon of salt in it. (For those with a better aptitude for math than me, this might be of interest.)

For the rest of us, you could simply swap out unsalted butter and add another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

4 ounces (115g) salted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed (110g) dark or light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup (180g) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or kosher salt
1 1/3 cups (200g) coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 cup toasted nuts, coarsely chopped

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar just until smooth and creamy.

2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. Stir the flour mixture into the beaten butter until combined, then mix in the chopped chocolate (including any chocolate dust) and the chopped nuts.

5. Cover and chill the batter until firm. (It’s preferable to let it rest overnight.)

6. To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

7. Form the cookie dough into rounds about the size of a large unshelled walnut. Place the mounds evenly spaced apart on the baking sheets, and press down the tops to flatten them so they are no longer domed and the dough is even.

8. Bake the cookies for ten minutes, rotating the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies look about set, but are not browned.

9. Remove from the oven and quickly tap the top of each with a spatula, then return to the oven for two to five more minutes, until the tops of the cookies are light golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cookies cool.

Storage: The cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to five days in an airtight container. The dough can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for one or two months.